The Dallas Cowboys have lost a fan in LeBron James.
During an Instagram Live with his business partner Maverick Carter on Thursday night, James said he’s done rooting for the Cowboys after the organization’s response to players kneeling during the national anthem.
“Nah, man, I had to sit put on the Cowboys, man. It’s just a lot of things that were going on when guys were kneeling,” James said. “… The organization was like ‘if you do that around here, you won’t ever play for this franchise again.’ I just didn’t think that was appropriate.”
Often spotted on Dallas sidelines in the 2010s, James went on to say that he’s now “all in” with his hometown Cleveland Browns. He chuckled a bit about the decision, singing “one shining moment,” from David Barrett’s “March Madness” theme.
The next lyric in that song “it’s all on the line,” might resonate for other Browns fans, as the team is currently tied for third place in the AFC North division with a 2-5 record and the return of quarterback Deshaun Watson looming. Watson was accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen women and suspended for 11 games in August.
Protests in the NBA, NFL
James and many other NBA players knelt during the national anthem in 2020. They were protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake while three of his children looked on in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“The baseless shootings of Jacob Blake and other black men and women by law enforcement underscores the need for action,” the NBA Coaches Association said in a statement. “Not after the playoffs, not in the future, but now.”
“America’s team” owner Jerry Jones gave his players pretty clear messaging about racial injustice protests in 2017, pioneered by Colin Kaepernick.
“If there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play. OK? Understand? If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won’t play. Period” Jones said.
More LeBron in the NFL
This Instagram Live session came after James teased “something special” for NFL fans on Twitter.
James and Carter shared that Prime Video will collaborate with Uninterrupted The Shop to introduce a “Thursday Night Football” alternate stream titled “TNF in The Shop.” Both executive producers, James and Carter will also be joined by co-creator Paul Rivera to welcome special guests on Nov. 17, as the Tennessee Titans visit the Green Bay Packers.
